Yes, Caesar is the best to start with. Avoid Livy for a while, and definitely stay clear of Tacitus.

The only thing we can guarantee when communicating via the internet is that we will be almost completely misunderstood, and likely cause great offence in doing so. Throw in an attempt at humour and you insure a lifelong enemy will be made.

Caesar is great, but if you find it still difficult, you may start from something bit easier.Latin teachers sometimes recommend "Instiututiones" of Justinian. This is post-classical Latin, but hey, Justinian was still a Roman Emperor. See page 297 http://books.google.com/books?id=wX_2Qxq5Xd4C

Also, have you read Historia Apollonii regis Tyri (very easy, from VI century), or some works of St. Augustine, especially Confessiones, or his commentaries to the Gospel of St. John? All these are good bridge from medieval to classical Latin.

I often see the prepositional phrase ab urbe condita in the writings of historians, and although the meaning is clear, the grammar eludes me, for isn't condita a participle, used here for a purpose which is surely better suited to a gerund/gerundive, that is, as a verbal noun?. Assuming it is valid, Latin for beginners, from which I'm studying, states, and I quote: In each of these sentences the literal translation of the participle is given in parentheses. We note, however, that its proper translation usually requires a clause beginning with some conjunction (when, since, after, though, etc.), or a relative clause. Consider, in each case, what translation will best bring out the thought, and do not, as a rule, translate the participle literally. So does that mean the translation I often see used - From the founding of Rome [the city] is too literal and ultimately incorrect?

This is a pretty common construction in Latin: where English would say, "{Before/after/from} the [verb]ing of [noun]," Latin can say, "{Before/after/from} [noun] [verb]ed." Grammars often call this "the ab urbe condita construction," from its most famous example. Here's another from Cicero: